Born on March 18

Ovid (43 BC – 17 AD) was a Roman poet of the Augustan age, author of the Metamorphoses, a landmark work of ancient literature. He transformed Greco-Roman mythology into narrative and musical poetry, profoundly influencing European culture.

Florentine navigator and explorer (1454–1512), Amerigo Vespucci made several voyages to the New World between 1499 and 1504. He was the first to understand that the lands discovered by Christopher Columbus formed an unknown continent, which was named after him: America.

Esther Johnson (1681–1728), known by the nickname "Stella", was the close friend and confidante of the writer Jonathan Swift. Their intellectual and epistolary relationship, chronicled in the Journal to Stella, makes her a notable figure in English literary life of the 18th century.

Irish actress famous for her Shakespearean roles, she triumphed in Paris in 1827. Hector Berlioz, madly in love with her, dedicated his Symphonie fantastique to her before marrying her in 1833.

Russian composer of the 19th century and member of The Five. An undisputed master of orchestration, he is famous for his symphonic suite Scheherazade and his many operas inspired by Russian folklore.

Polish physician (1865-1939), elder sister of Marie Curie, she funded her sister's studies in Paris. A pioneer of women's medicine in Poland, she ran a clinic in Zakopane and campaigned for women's emancipation.

G. E. M. Anscombe (1919–2001) is one of the greatest analytic philosophers of the twentieth century. A student of Wittgenstein, she coined the term "consequentialism" and revolutionized the philosophy of action with her landmark work *Intention* (1957). A devout Catholic, she did not hesitate to publicly oppose the atomic bomb.

A pioneer of American female hip-hop, Queen Latifah made her mark from the late 1980s with politically engaged and feminist rap. She went on to build a dual career as a singer and actress, becoming one of the most influential women in the entertainment industry.